Outdoor activity ideas and inspiration

From mid-March to the end of May 2020, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) posted a simple outdoor activity idea and nature riddle for kids every weekday. Some days we also posted other resources, like downloadable chapters of the Junior Ranger Activity Book.

Created to support parents who found themselves homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, these activity ideas are a great jumping off point for any outdoor adventure. Click here for a list with links to all 50 activity ideas.

Nature riddle

Today’s mystery animal is known for its unusual skill for attacking porcupines, despite their spiny defenses. Other foods include snowshoe hares, chipmunks, pine martens, shrews, insects, nuts and sometimes fruit and mushrooms. Click here to read more about this seldom seen mammal.

Treasure hunt for toys

We play this game at camp to encourage kids to hone their observation skills and to remind them to look all around them, including up and down, when walking along a trail. I am always a little surprised by how much kids love this simple activity.

1. Gather 15-20 small toys or other household items.
2. Before bringing the kids outside, place the toys along a trail, in the woods or in your yard. Place them high, low, in broad sight and a little hidden. Don’t forget to count them before you hide them (I’ve been known to lose one or two).
3. Don’t tell your kids how many toys you hid. Have them search and count in their heads how many toys they find, without moving the toys.
4. Ask them how many they found and then tell them how many you hid.
5. Have them hunt again to see if they can find all of them.
6. Then have your kids hide them for you and play again.